New Yorkers concerned about animal welfare converged on the state capitol for Humane Lobby Day to meet with lawmakers and lobby for better animal protection laws designed to strengthen anti-cruelty statues, eliminate the extreme confinement of animals on factory farms and protect sharks from the cruel and unsustainable shark fin trade.

Michiganders concerned about animal welfare converged on the state capitol for Humane Lobby Day in Lansing on Tuesday to lobby for better laws to protect pets and exotic animals and to oppose the legislature’s underhanded attempt to stifle the voting rights of Michigan citizens on wildlife issues.

In a setback for species protection and an end to more than 30 years of U.S. protection for the critically endangered black rhino, the Obama Administration has granted approval to an American trophy hunter to import a sport-hunted rhino trophy into the United States from Namibia.

A bill introduced to derail a citizen referendum to prevent the state’s declining wolf population from being subjected to trophy hunting and commercial trapping would also enable a small, hunter-dominated commission to overturn the state’s 2006 ban on the target shooting of mourning doves.

Keep Michigan Wolves Protected submitted 253,705 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office, that, when certified, will place any plans for a wolf hunting season on hold until Michigan voters decide the issue at the ballot box in November 2014.

Humane Society International Deputy Wildlife Director Rebecca Regnery released the following statement praising the final decision at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to list the oceanic whitetip shark, the porbeagle shark, three species of hammerhead sharks, and two species of manta rays, great and reef, on Appendix II.

A delegation from The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International championed more than 40 proposals to protect wildlife from the threats posed by international commercial trade during the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Bangkok.

Humane Society International/United Kingdom Executive Director and Veterinarian Mark Jones released the following statement during the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on provisions put forth to help protect rhinos from poaching.

Humane Society International Deputy Wildlife Director Rebecca Regnery released the following statement praising an interim decision at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to list five shark species and two species of manta rays, great and reef, on Appendix II.

Humane Society International Senior Associate Marine Scientist Mark Peter Simmonds released the following statement praising an interim decision to give the African manatee top-level protection on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species by listing the animal on Appendix I.